This year’s Avon Roach Project annual fundraising match has been a massive success, highlighted by the capture of a spectacular 3lb 2oz redfin.

The specimen was caught by Dr Mark Everard from a stretch at Winkton Fishery, on the Lower Hampshire Avon, and secured victory for the lifelong roach enthusiast in the ‘friendly’ match.

Mark said: “‘Match’ is perhaps too strong a word, as these much-anticipated occasions are really a meeting of old friends and roach ‘obsessives’. 

“I was stood on an exposed bank trotting all day. The pain was worth it, both for a fantastic catch and to support the great cause.

“The big roach sank the float decisively and, like most good roach, rolled straight away. I had to navigate it through two weedbeds before finally bringing it to the net. It looked enormous!”

Mark trotted breadflake under a 5g Avon float and fed liquidised bread, a tactic that accounted for a further seven roach to 1lb 1oz.